Barack Obama/Transcript
Transcript Original Version Text reads: The Mysteries of Life with Tim and Moby. Tim and Moby are standing in front of the White House. It is cold and snowing, and the wind is whistling. Tim is wearing a heavy coat, and he has a scarf around his neck. TIM: Why did we choose to visit D.C. on the snowiest day of the year? My ears are about to freeze off! MOBY: Beep. Moby sprouts a pair of earmuffs. TIM: Lucky. A sheet of paper drifts past them on the wind. Tim catches it. Tim reads from the typed letter. TIM: Dear Tim and Moby, Can you tell us about our 44th president, Barack Obama? From, Zack. Sure, Zack. Barack Hussein Obama was elected President in 2008. An image shows President Obama standing in the Oval Office of the White House. MOBY: Beep. TIM: It is a unique name, and it reflects his remarkable background! Obama was born in Hawaii in 1961. An animation shows Earth as seen from space. The location of Hawaii is designated with a small red star.' '''TIM:' His mom was from Kansas, and his dad came from a small village in the East African nation of Kenya! The locations of Kansas and Kenya are designated with small red stars. TIM: They divorced when he was 2. His father moved back to Kenya, while his mom's career often took her overseas. An image shows Obama's parents. TIM: So for much of his youth, Barack lived with his grandparents in Hawaii. An image shows Obama as a teenager with his grandparents. TIM: He went to college in New York City, where he became interested in improving the lives of the poor and powerless. An image of Obama in college is shown. TIM: So when he graduated, he moved to Chicago and became a community organizer. An animation shows Earth as seen from space. The locations of New York and Chicago are designated with yellow dots, and a dotted red line is shown connecting them. MOBY: Beep? TIM: That's someone who helps people join together to improve their lives and neighborhoods. In the late 1980s, Obama worked with the residents of a housing project on Chicago's tough South Side. An image shows Obama walking with a woman. TIM: He was making a real difference - but he realized that he could do even more if he became a lawyer. He enrolled at Harvard, and graduated near the top of his class. An image shows Obama in Harvard's library. TIM: After law school, Obama moved back to Chicago, where he married a young attorney named Michelle Robinson. The two eventually had two daughters, Malia and Sasha. An image shows Sasha, Robinson, Obama, and Malia. MOBY: Beep? TIM: Obama entered politics in 1996, when he was elected to the Illinois State Senate. Then in 2004, he won a seat in the United States Senate. That summer, he gave a memorable speech at the Democratic National Convention in Boston. At the time, political and cultural differences seemed to be tearing the country apart. Obama argued that the values shared by all Americans were far stronger than those divisions. An image shows Obama giving his speech. TIM: All of a sudden, he was a national figure. Just 4 years later, he won the Democratic Party's nomination for President! An image shows Obama and Robinson at a political rally. MOBY: Beep! TIM: Obama campaigned on making government more responsive to the poor and middle-class. An image shows Obama and another man giving speeches. TIM: He promised to end the war in Iraq, reduce taxes for working families, and provide healthcare to all Americans. An image shows icons of all 3 promises. TIM: He won in a landslide, becoming the nation's first African-American president! It was a defining moment in America's progress toward racial equality. An image shows Obama on television with the caption below: "Sen. Barack Obama: President-Elect". TIM: Even among politcal opponents, many found cause to celebrate Obama's election. But there was hardly time for him to savor the victory. An image shows the front page of the Wall Street Journal. Above a photo of Obama, the headline reads: Obama Sweeps to Historic Victory. A second image shows the front page of the New York Post, announcing: Obama's Historic Victory. MOBY: Beep? TIM: A financial panic earlier in the year had set off a worldwide recession, or economic slowdown. Experts warned of a new Great Depression as jobless rates soared and banks collapsed. An image shows a Wall Street stockbroker on the trading floor, looking concerned. In the background are images representing the recession. TIM: In response, Obama raised the minimum wage, and pushed an economic relief plan through Congress. An image shows a check for $350. The numbers change to $365. TIM: The plan, commonly called the Stimulus, cut taxes and pumped hundreds of billions of dollars into the economy. And when America's largest car makers were facing bankruptcy, Obama supported them with government money. An animation shows Uncle Sam in a car factory, helping to build cars. TIM: While these programs were expensive, most economists agree that doing nothing would have cost even more. MOBY: Beep! TIM: Yup, and with all that going on, Obama was still able to address some of his biggest campaign promises. Millions of Americans couldn't afford health insurance, forcing them to go without basic medical care. Obama's solution was the Affordable Care Act. When it passed, it extended health insurance to 30 million Americans. An image shows the front page of TIME Magazine, with the words "Paging Dr. Obama". Obama is on the cover, dressed as a doctor. TIM: Obama also made good on his promise to lift the military's ban on gay service members. An animation shows a silhouette of a saluting soldier and a rainbow flag. MOBY: Beep? TIM: In terms of foreign policy, Obama sought to improve America's image, especially in the Middle East. After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the U.S. had begun two wars in the region, which were still raging. Distrust between the West and the Muslim world was at an all-time low. Two images are shown on top of each other: the first image shows the Twin Towers exploding. The other image shows the countries of Iran and Afghanistan with war symbols over them. TIM: In a major speech delivered in Egypt, Obama called for a renewed focus on diplomacy. Although critics accused him of apologizing for America, his efforts won him the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009. Two images are shown side by side: rhe first image shows Obama's speech in Egypt, with the caption below "Message to Muslims: Obama delivers much anticipated speech to Islamic world in Egypt". The other image shows Obama receiving the Nobel Peace Prize. TIM: Two years later, he ended the war in Iraq and began reducing forces in Afghanistan. An animated map illustrates the Iraq war ending and the forces in Afghanistan being reduced. TIM: He also lent military support to democratic revolutions in Egypt and Libya. Meanwhile, he kept the terrorist group Al Qaeda on the run. Two image are shown side by side: the first image shows Egyptians rejoicing, while the other image shows a Libyan holding a rifle and giving the "Peace" sign. TIM: Less than a decade after the 9/11 attacks, Osama bin Laden was killed by American special forces. An image shows the front page of The Daily Paper, announcing bin Laden's death with the captions "Bin Laden killed by U.S. Forces in Pakistan, Obama says, declaring justice has been done". MOBY: Beep? TIM: Well, even supporters have been disappointed in some parts of Obama's record. During the 2008 campaign, he sharply criticized President Bush's anti-terrorism policies as attacks on civil liberties. But Obama has continued many of Bush's controversial practices, including the use of drones, or unmanned aircraft, to kill suspected terrorists. An animation shows military personnel operating drones from a control center. TIM: And in 2010, he claimed the right to use such deadly force even when the suspect is an American citizen. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Despite these concerns, support was still strong for President Obama in 2012, and he went on to win re-election. For his second term, he promised to focus on some long-standing problems, from immigration to gun violence. An animation shows a smiling Obama next to text that reads: Victory. TIM: Anyway, now I'm freezing and thirsty. Think we can go get some hot chocolate? A panel in Moby's chest slides open. Inside is a mug of hot chocolate. TIM: Gee, thanks. Moby takes the hot chocolate and drinks it himself. Tim frowns. MOBY: Beep. Updated Version Text reads: The Mysteries of Life with Tim and Moby. Tim and Moby are standing in front of the White House. It is cold and snowing, and the wind is whistling. Tim is wearing a heavy coat, and he has a scarf around his neck. TIM: Why did we choose to visit D.C. on the snowiest day of the year? My ears are about to freeze off! MOBY: Beep. Moby sprouts a pair of earmuffs. TIM: Lucky. A sheet of paper drifts past them on the wind. Tim catches it. Tim reads from the typed letter. TIM: Dear Tim and Moby, Can you tell us about our 44th president, Barack Obama? From, Zack. TIM: Sure, Zack. Barack Hussein Obama was elected President in 2008. An image shows President Obama standing in the Oval Office of the White House. MOBY: Beep. TIM: It is a unique name, and it reflects his remarkable background! His mom was from Kansas, and his dad came from a small village in the East African nation of Kenya! An animation shows Earth as seen from space. The locations of Kansas and Kenya are designated with small red stars. TIM: They fit right into the diverse culture of Hawaii, where Obama was born in 1961. A third red star shows the location of Hawaii. An image shows Obama as a baby. He is being held by his mother, and his father stands next to them. They are surrounded by people of different ethnicities. TIM: To this day, he credits his home state with shaping his political views. Its open, tolerant culture can be seen in Obama's governing style. Throughout his career, he sought to forge compromises between opposing points of view. An animation shows Obama standing between a person with a donkey's head, representing a Democrat, and a person with an elephant's head, representing a Republican. Under Obama's influence, the two reach across the aisle and shake hands. TIM: But he governed at a time of growing partisanship, fighting between political parties that gets in the way of getting stuff done. The two people with animal heads pull their hands apart, cross their arms, and refuse to look at each other. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Obama first made a name for himself by speaking out against partisanship. An animation shows Obama standing at a podium, speaking to a crowd. TIM: He was a guest speaker at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, the big get-together where the party chooses its presidential candidate. Many people in the crowd hold signs that read: Obama. Flashbulbs go off as he speaks. TIM: Most people had never heard of Obama; he was a brand-new senator from Illinois. But he spoke stirringly of his vision for the nation. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Political differences were starting to tear the country apart. Americans seemed to be splitting into increasingly hostile camps. An animation shows a map of the United States. It is covered with red and blue silhouettes, representing members of the two major political parties. The figures form groups in various states, some of which turn red and some of which turn blue. TIM: In Washington, Republicans and Democrats could find almost no common ground. An image shows the Senate floor, with red figures on one side of the aisle and blue figures on the other. TIM: Obama reminded Americans that their shared values were far stronger than any divisions. Viewers were captivated by his energy and optimism. The wave of enthusiasm carried him to the Democratic Party's nomination for President in 2008. An image shows an Obama campaign poster. A photo of Obama is captioned: Yes, We Can. Obama 2008. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Running on the themes of hope and change, Obama outlined a bright vision for the country. And sharply contrasted himself with the sitting president, George W. Bush. An animation shows a newscaster reporting on President Bush. On a screen behind him is an animation of Bush in a flight suit, standing on the deck of an aircraft carrier. A banner behind him reads: Mission Accomplished. A military band plays as he walks past them. TIM: Bush was waging a war in Iraq that many Americans had come to see as a mistake. And his administration was plagued by scandal after scandal. Obama promised a government that was more responsive to ordinary folks. And not so focused on war and anti-terror efforts. An animation shows a news broadcast of Obama campaigning. He is walking through a crowd, talking to people and shaking hands. TIM: Most of all, he wanted to change the tone in Washington. He said he'd bring Republicans and Democrats together to get stuff done. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Yup. Obama won in a landslide, becoming the first African-American president! An image shows the front page of the Wall Street Journal. Above a photo of Obama, the headline reads: Obama Sweeps to Historic Victory. A second image shows the front page of the New York Post, announcing: Obama's Historic Victory. TIM: And the Democrats picked up majorities in both houses of Congress. A third image shows the front page of The Times, with a headline reading: Dems Take Congress. TIM: That gave the party a solid mandate, the backing of the people, to fix America's problems. MOBY: Beep. TIM: A financial panic earlier in the year had set off a worldwide recession, or economic slowdown. An image shows a Wall Street stockbroker on the trading floor, looking concerned. In the background are images representing the recession. TIM: Jobless rates soared, and millions of people lost their homes. In response, Democrats pushed an economic relief plan through Congress. An animation shows Uncle Sam sitting at a desk, preparing checks to mail to taxpayers. TIM: The stimulus cut taxes and pumped hundreds of billions of dollars into the economy. And a loan to GM and Chrysler kept America's auto industry afloat. An animation shows Uncle Sam in a car factory, helping to build cars. TIM: As things stabilized, Obama and his allies in Congress focused on social issues. MOBY: Beep. TIM: They lifted the military's ban on LGBT service members. And strengthened laws to help women get equal pay at work. An animation shows a silhouette of a saluting soldier and a rainbow flag. A second animation shows a female and a male, each standing on a stack of coins. The female's stack is shorter, but it begins to get taller. TIM: But the centerpiece of their efforts was healthcare reform. An image represents healthcare reform under the Obama Administration. TIM: Millions of Americans couldn't afford medical insurance. That meant they often had to go without basic healthcare. And if they ever needed something serious, it could bankrupt them. An animation shows a woman with a broken arm checking out of a hospital. Her doctor is calculating her bill on a cash register, and she becomes increasingly worried as the total gets higher and higher. TIM: Fixing this problem had long been a goal of the Democratic Party. So, in 2010, Congress narrowly passed the Affordable Care Act, and Obama signed it into law. The woman with a broken arm hands the doctor an insurance card. The total on the cash register goes down to forty dollars. She smiles. TIM: Though its passage was a huge victory, it also became a potent weapon against him. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Republicans fiercely opposed what they called Obamacare. They argued that it was too expensive, and that they'd been shut out of the process. An image shows a cover of the magazine, The Daily Standard. Obama is on the cover, dressed as a doctor, holding a medical bill stamped: Past Due. TIM: But mixed in with that criticism were a lot of false reports. Like that the law would establish so-called death panels. Government employees deciding who would and wouldn't get life-saving medicine. An animation shows someone watching an online video, which shows an elderly woman with a walker standing before a podium labeled: Obamacare Death Panel. Obama and two Democratic members of congress look down upon her. TIM: Some lies were aimed at Obama himself. Biased news stories implied that he wasn't an American citizen. That he was planning to revoke our constitutional rights. And that he was secretly a Muslim. An animation shows a newscaster reporting false anti-Obama news. Background animations show Obama meeting with an Arab leader, tearing the Constitution in half, and praying toward Mecca. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Right, like that's something to be ashamed of in the first place. These fake stories had begun when Obama was running for President. But they picked up steam during his first term, fueling the rise of the Tea Party. This was a new wing of the Republican Party. They wanted to cut government spending on healthcare and other social programs. An animation shows a Tea Party rally. One attendee holds a sign that reads: No Death Panels. Another holds a sign reading: Taxed Enough Already. The letters T, E, and A are outlined in red. People at the rally are waving signs. TIM: Energized by Tea Party voters, Republicans took back the House of Representatives in 2010. An animation represents the 2010 change in the makeup of the House. It shows the Democrats with 185 representatives and the Republicans with 239 representatives. TIM: Their stated mission? Repeal the Affordable Care Act and do everything possible to oppose Obama. Denying him victories in Congress would hurt his chances for re-election. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Despite this resistance, Obama achieved some major goals. He oversaw the mission to kill Osama bin Laden, the chief planner of the 9/11 terrorist attack. An image shows the front page of a newspaper announcing bin Laden's death. TIM: That same year, he ended the war in Iraq and began reducing forces in Afghanistan. An animated map illustrates the Iraq war ending and the forces in Afghanistan being reduced. TIM: Through all the pressures of his first term, he never seemed to show any signs of stress. Supporters started calling him No-Drama Obama. An animation shows a relaxed Obama talking to members of the press. TIM: He easily won his re-election bid in 2012. An animation shows a smiling Obama next to text that reads: Victory 2012. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Unfortunately, Obama's relationship with Congress only grew more strained. Senate Republicans blocked his nominations for judges and other important posts. An animation shows Obama holding a letter to Congress, nominating Merrick Garland as Supreme Court Justice, replacing the deceased Antonin Scalia. A Republican takes the letter from Obama and tears it in two. TIM: And each year, he tangled with the House over the federal budget. Within Congress, there was gridlock, an inability to pass laws on the major problems of the day. Immigration, gun violence, climate change, all of these issues went unaddressed. An animation shows Democrats and Republicans in a tug-of-war, representing the many political battles Tim mentions. TIM: So, in his second term, Obama used the power of the presidency to act on his own. Obama steps in with a giant pair of scissors and cuts the tug-of-war rope. Democrats and Republicans both fall backwards to the floor. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Well, like forging a deal with Iran to halt its nuclear weapons program. And protecting the children of undocumented immigrants from being deported. Animations show Obama in the White House Oval Office, taking the actions Tim describes. On his desk are awards saying Iran Deal and Dreamers. TIM: Meanwhile, Obama's steady economic leadership was bearing fruit. By the end of 2016, the stock market had tripled in value from when he took office. And unemployment sank as Americans returned to work. Plus, more people than ever could afford health insurance. Three more awards appear, representing the stock market rising, unemployment shrinking, and health insurance. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Well, no. There's stuff to criticize, too. Obama extended the power of the presidency in some scary ways. Like increasing the use of drones to kill suspected terrorists. An animation shows military personnel operating drones from a control center. TIM: And using federal agencies to spy on and pressure journalists. An animation shows two government agents confronting a journalist working on a laptop. TIM: Even if you trusted Obama with these powers, what about the next President, and the one after that? MOBY: Beep. TIM: He'd also been faulted for that No-Drama style of his. Some say that if he'd been more confrontational, it might have helped the situation in the Middle East. Under his administration, war and unrest spread throughout the region. An animated map shows parts of the Middle East in turmoil. TIM: Millions of people fled their countries, becoming refugees. An image shows a large number of Middle Easterners leaving their homes on foot. TIM: On the home front, a lot of Obama's supporters wish he'd taken a tougher stand with Congress. If he'd called them out for blocking his agenda, maybe he could have gotten more done. An animation shows Obama meeting with a Congress person who complains as Obama sits quietly, drinking a cup of coffee. MOBY: Beep. TIM: True, he was elected on the promise of easing partisanship, not joining in on the fight. But maybe Washington, and the rest of the country, wasn't ready for it. In 2016, Republicans kept their hold on Congress, and won the presidency as well. An image of a newspaper's front page shows a photo of President Donald Trump. The headline reads: It's Trump! Republicans Keep Congress. TIM: They're still committed to rolling back Obamacare and other projects of his. That makes it difficult to judge Obama's legacy. I think people will remember his steady leadership through troubled times. He may not have changed the tone in Washington, but he set an example of civility, even with bitter opponents. An animation shows a calm Obama, sitting in an airplane, reading a newspaper with Trump's photo on its front page. TIM: Anyway, now I'm freezing and thirsty. Think we can go get some hot chocolate? A panel in Moby's chest slides open. Inside is a mug of hot chocolate. TIM: Gee, thanks. Moby takes the hot chocolate and drinks it himself. Tim frowns. MOBY: Beep.Category:BrainPOP Transcripts